


exhaustion

by jedormis (dottie_wan_kenobi)



Series: la folie de la vie verse [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe, Brothers, Bruce Wayne is Dead, Dick Grayson is Batman, Exhaustion, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Tim Drake is Robin, complicated feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 02:32:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18983410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dottie_wan_kenobi/pseuds/jedormis
Summary: “Timmy, you should go to bed,” Dick says from somewhere over his shoulder, but he doesn’t pay him any mind. He’s got things he needs to do, like find Jason Todd from wherever he disappeared to. The leading theory right now is that he found the way Bruce came in—a trap door not too far from where they think he was last—and went through it. But the why? When? How? They have no idea.Tim’s gonna be the one to figure it out.





	exhaustion

**Author's Note:**

> Just a lil update in Jason-2's world!! Possibly going to edit tomorrow, it's pretty late rn and I wrote most of this in one sitting and didn't look it over dslkjfslkjfja
> 
> **I suggest you read the previous fic in the _World 2_ series before this one**. If you don't wanna do that, just know that Bruce was killed by the Joker, who was holding Jason hostage in Arkham Asylum. Jason then went missing and the rest of the fam are trying to find him.

###  Bat-Cave-2, August 1st, 3:56 AM

“Timmy, you should go to bed,” Dick says from somewhere over his shoulder, but he doesn’t pay him any mind. He’s got things he needs to do, like find Jason Todd from wherever he disappeared to. The leading theory right now is that he found the way Bruce came in—a trap door not too far from where they think he was last—and went through it. But the why? When? How? They have no idea. 

Tim’s gonna be the one to figure it out.

He doesn’t reply to Dick, just keeps his eyes peeled on the video footage, which points towards the the road connecting Arkham’s island to Gotham proper. It’s the only way to get on or off other than by boat, and they’ve already had Luke and Kate check everything on that front. Tim trusts them enough to get the work done and do it well, but he’s so on edge he feels compelled to check it over. Not that Dick needs to know about that.

“ _ Tim _ .” Forcibly, Dick turns the chair—turns  _ Bruce’s chair _ —around, and Tim blinks in the sudden darkness. The screen behind him shines brightly onto Dick’s face, illuminating it and the large, black suit he’s wearing. The cowl is down, and the cape is off, but he looks like Bruce, imposing and concerned. “Come on, you’re going to bed. Now.”

“But I haven’t—”

He’s going to say he hasn’t found Jason yet. He’s going to say he hasn’t hit the level of exhaustion where not even coffee plus red bull can keep him awake. He’s going to say he hasn’t done anything to justify his continued existence in this house.

“I don’t want to hear it. It’s been a long night, and we’re getting nowhere.”

He  _ sounds  _ like Bruce, too, Tim thinks with more than a little irritation. “I still have tapes to check,” he says, biting off a comment on how Dick’s the one not making progress. No one in all of Gotham and Bludhaven have seen anyone that fits Jason’s description, and absolutely no one wants to tell Batman if they  _ do  _ know something.

“No, you have a bed to get into, and sleep to catch up on.”

“No, I have tapes I need to check.”

“Tim—”

“Dick,” Tim repeats with an eye roll.

Dick crosses his arms, and yup, there’s the imposing part. “Jason isn’t going anywhere, at least not far enough in a night that we can’t take a break.”

“But if he’s on the move, I don’t want to lose the possible trail—”

“Would Bruce want you to stay up for days, exhausting yourself for no good reason?”

“Are you saying Bruce wouldn’t think Jason’s a  _ good reason _ ?” Not after the years Jason’s not-dead ghost hung over the Manor, and certainly not after they first got the clue of where Jason was. Bruce was up for days, searching for proof, for ways in, making plans for once he got in there.

“I’m  _ saying _ —”

“Boys!” Alfred calls from the top of the stairs. Dressed in his pajamas, he looks upset to find them both down here, Dick still in the suit and Tim still in the clothes he put on two days ago. Tim jumps to his feet, a habit instilled in him since he was a kid, and almost falls over due to a wave of dizziness and nausea rolling over him. It’s only Dick’s gauntleted hands grabbing him that stops it. 

“Jesus, kid,” Dick curses, helping Tim sit back down in the seat.

With a sigh, Alfred sweeps down the steps, ordering, “Master Dick, go and change out of that suit now.”

Dick does so without another word, half because Alfred’s really the one in charge, and half because he hates wearing it just as much as the rest of them hate seeing him in it. 

Tim watches from the chair as Alfred comes and surveys his work space. Uneaten meals, snack wrappers, half-filled mugs. Three glasses of water, all given to him by Alfred, untouched. Shame burns hot in him, and he hates how it just makes him feel more nauseous than earlier. “I’m—I’m sorry, Alfred, I meant to….”

“Hush,” he says, and it’s much more gentle than he expected it to be. “Come on, my boy, we’re going upstairs, and you’re going to drink  _ two  _ glasses of water, and then you’ll go on to bed. And if I see you before noon tomorrow, I will have your hide.”

“Babs is coming tomorrow, too,” Dick announces, stepping into the main room of the Cave in sweatpants and a t-shirt. The amount of cuts and bruises on his exposed skin make Tim wince. “You’re getting at least eight hours, Timmy.”

“As are you,” Alfred says, no room for argument in his words. He and Dick stand by as Tim stands, and together, they head upstairs. “Even if I must lock your doors myself.”

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think? <3


End file.
